


Sa'vunin - A Single Day

by faerieavalon



Series: Vena Eolas: The Journey of an Elvhen Spirit [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Don’t copy to another site, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2019-10-18 21:09:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17588450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faerieavalon/pseuds/faerieavalon
Summary: These are collected short stories outside of the main story arc for Ara'lan and her friends. Probably won't be in any kind of order until the main story is done as I am writing when the inspiration strikes.





	1. Saron - Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deep in the time of Arlathan, Ara'lan was had a dream of a different life. Her days as Era'las still hold a sense of bittersweet nostalgia. POV - Era'las

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All italics are spoken Elvhen with translations for the few terms used at the end.

Her eyes lit up, hopeful and impatient, when the door creaked open. She had been waiting longer than expected for his return. Reaching out for his aura she found it silent. He gave no emotions away. That worried her more than she cared to admit. Her fingers trembled as she set down her book to rise and meet him.

“ _What did she say?_ ” The words passed her lips clumsily as if she didn’t truly want to voice them.

He took a deep breath and took her into his arms. One hand settled at her hip while the other lightly traced the branches inked below her right eye. They were like his but not a true match; delicate where he was strong. She caught his stoic gaze and tried desperately to hope for a positive answer. The longer he waited to answer the less likely it became.

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as his emotions finally released. Joy poured out with his words. “ _She said yes._ ”

Relief washed over her in an instant. She nearly squealed as she threw her arms around his shoulders and held him tight. His deep laugh rumbled in his chest; her favorite sound. “ _This greeting was worth it,_ ” he teased, “ _I am sorry to worry you._ ”

Nowhere else in the known world or beyond felt as safe as the space between his arms. Of course she would forgive him. Intimate moments like this were few in his life though growing the longer they were together. She would give him anything to keep the smile and laugh in him alive.

“ _I hope you plan to make it up to me._ ”

His warm breath brushed against the side of her neck, lips following shortly after. “ _As many times as is needed, ‘ma’sal’shiral._ ” 

The web of emotions pouring off them both colored the air. Love, joy, and excitement twisted and turned in a precious dance that warmed the room more than any fire could. He slowly walked her back towards their bed, whispering further endearments against her skin. She sighed, curling her fingers in the long plait that fell down his back. A little tug on the strands pulled a growl from within him. His teeth nipped at her collar bone in response before she was less than gracefully tossed among the bedsheets. 

In the instant before he followed her, she saw something in his expression that made her pause. Drawing his face to meet hers, she pressed a tender kiss to his lips.

“‘ _Ma’sa’lath,_ ” she asked quietly, “ _what troubles you still? Please share it with me._ ”

At this he sighed but his smile didn’t falter. “ _I must attend a ceremony before we leave. She desires me at her side for this before she ‘gifts you the greatest of her commanders.’ Her words._ ”

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. “ _How long?_ ”

“ _A few weeks. No more. We leave with the sunrise._ ”

“ _If Mythal wishes it so, then shall it be._ ” A few weeks compared to a lifetime to share with him were nothing. “ _But she will have to wait until morning. Tonight your future bondmate wishes for all your attention._ ”

His expression cleared with a hungry grin. “And she shall have it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> ‘Ma’sal’shiral - My life. Essentially, “Love of my life,” or “You are my soul’s journey.”  
> ‘Ma’sa’lath - My one love.


	2. Convaluisset - Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> POV Inquisitor, shortly after the big reveal in Redcliffe where they meet Dorian's father

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My confidence at writing male characters isn't very high but I love these two far too much to not give it a try. I borrowed heavily from the game script but hopefully gave it enough of a twist to make it a little different. Comments are always welcome.

The whole trip back from Redcliffe he said little. It was unlike him and Mahanon couldn’t help but worry. He didn’t pry. Many things were said in the privacy of a darkened tavern that shouldn’t see the light of day. It could wait, especially since Cassandra had insisted on them taking a handful of guards with them. He’d argued against it and lost magnificently. But he didn’t care about them or what could have happened along the way. He only cared that his companion couldn’t muster up a snide comment or smile.

It shouldn’t have surprised him that he was moved by what happened. Keeper Deshanna had lectured him about the wildness of youth and taking responsibilities since he was old enough to get his valasllin. He was supposed to be their leader one day. As Keeper he would marry well, have children, and support the clan until it was his turn to pass the mantle on. He did everything he could think of to prove her wrong. Always sneaking off into trouble, staying out far too late, falling into bed with whomever caught his fancy; he was lucky enough to not be cast out completely. Perhaps she thought that training him would shape him into someone else. Dorian’s story hit too close to home for his comfort. He was muted on the ride back, too.

Once they passed under the gates, he made up his mind. Letting a wound like this fester would do neither of them any good. He went straight for the wine cellars and grabbed two of the strongest bottles he could find. Their stocks weren’t terribly fancy yet, but he knew the mage couldn’t resist a rich red. Nearly bounding up the steps, he didn’t stop until he came to the entrance of Dorian’s alcove. Seeing him with such a broken look tore at his own heart. His mouth opened but he was at a loss for words.

“He says we’re alike. Too much pride. Once I would have been overjoyed to hear him say that.” Dorian sighed, blankly staring out the window. “I don’t know if I can forgive him.”

“Who says you have to?”

That got his attention. Dorian turned his head and huffed a breath through his nose. “No one, I suppose. Part of me always hoped he didn’t really want to go through with it. That the risks were too high.”

Mahanon stepped closer, setting the bottles on the table by the overstuffed chair Dorian favored. “Would it have worked?”

Dorian’s shrug was guarded. “Perhaps. It could have made me the man they wanted, one who fell in line, married the girl, carried on the family line without the stain of scandal. It could have just as easily made me a drooling vegetable. Either way, I wouldn’t be who I am. I can’t imagine I would like that Dorian.”

“Are you alright?” Mahanon couldn’t be bothered to keep the concern from his voice. 

“No,” he sighed again, finally turning his back on the view of outside. His gaze rested on the floor. “Not really. I don’t know what I expected, but it was something. Maker knows what you must think of me now.”

Mahanon moved closer, lifting his chin enough to meet his eyes. “I don’t think less of you,” he whispered. “If anything, I think more.”

There was no missing the quirk of his lips. “The things you say.”

A soft smile worked its way across Mahanon’s face in return. “I mean it. What others expect of you means nothing. Who you are and the kind of man you want to be in the face of a world that demands you play a part you were never meant to fill is everything that matters in this world. This Dorian, here and now, is all that matters. He’s the one I want by my side.”

The change in his dark eyes was subtle at first. Just a soft shift from worry to light. It was enough to inspire hope in his heart. A hum of interest rolled in Dorian’s throat. 

“You can’t possibly be real. I must have drunk myself into a stupor and dreamed you up.”

Mahanon laughed softly, feeling the edges of tension falling away. He waved idly at the bottles he’d nicked from the cellars, unwilling to look away from the growing calm on Dorian’s face. He was just so beautiful. “You’re very much awake but I can help with the lack of wine in your day. If you’re willing for some company.”

The quick kiss, hot and firm with just a faint tickle of mustache caught him by surprise. A squeak would have passed Mahanon’s lips if they weren’t already busy. Before he could do more than begin to return it, Dorian moved away. The bright grin he wore told novels of how he knew exactly what he had done. 

“Be a dear and use the glasses this time, won’t you? Drinking out of the bottle may be well and good on the road, but we should at least pretend to be civilized from time to time.”


	3. She'ala - First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the times of Arlathan, during the early years of rebellion, Felassan and Era'las meet for the first time. POV - Era'las

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics mean speaking in Elvhen and all translations are listed at the end.

A quiet morning meant she was able to spend time in the garden before the rest of the house woke. There were so many now and they all needed their rest. She moved with light steps across the floor to keep from waking the others. Past the rooms of cots, through the common room with its comfortable disarray, she used the door out the back of the kitchen to find her way. Once the cool earth was beneath her bare feet she let out a small laugh and looked around. The sun was just beginning to rise. The world was just waking up. It was her favorite time of day.

She started with the herbs, thinking about what they might use most. Healing herbs and those with mild flavors grew in abundance due to their frequency of use. She separated a small bundle from their stems with a practiced touch of magic. Her fingertips glowed faintly green, healing the plants as the stems fell away. 

“ _Era’las! Come quickly!_ ”

The shout carried a desperation she felt as much as heard. It was Maelle. The woman who had taken over her kitchen and ruled it with a firm hand never raised her voice or temper. She always said it was about choosing the right words, not the right volume. To hear her shouting now meant it was a true emergency. Era’las dropped her gatherings without a second thought and ran back inside as fast as her feet could carry her.

The common room was in chaos and Maelle stood in the center. Injured elves lingered on every surface, some able to sit in chairs while others were laid out on the floor. Children clung to skirts or trouser legs. All of them whimpered, cried out, or worse, made no sound at all. Those only stared. Era’las caught Maelle’s eye and nodded, throwing herself to work immediately. She hadn’t been expecting another group so soon but that didn’t mean she was going to let them down.

Maelle woke the others to help as they could. Era’las never found herself short of water to wipe a face or potions to gently encourage between lips. For all their scars and blood, most of the wounds they had were old and set. Her hands trembled for the effort but her magic did its work. Bones were encouraged to straighten. Scars were reduced. Gashes were sealed. The harder to heal minds were another trick. Her eyes glowed bright as she sifted through their minds, quieting fears and encouraging hope. She always preferred to have permission first but they couldn’t give it in their state. If she didn’t do something they would simply fade away.

Hours later, the day completely spent, Maelle finally tugged her away from her charges and into the kitchen. Her whole body shook and it was difficult to walk, but she did as she was bade. Her healers could watch them for a little while. She collapsed gratefully onto a stool and ran her hands through her tousled hair.

“ _Where did they come from? There are so many!_ ”

Maelle pushed a bowl of warm stew into her hands and gestured for her to eat some. Era’las smiled faintly at the mothering but did as she was bade. Only once she was convinced that Era’las would continue to eat did Maelle answer her question. 

“ _I’m not rightly sure. The one that brought them said very little but I think they were bound for auction. Some whispered about the mines or worse._ ” Maelle swallowed, her eyes narrowing. “ _Even the children._ ”

Era’las shook her head and sighed in understanding. It was becoming more common for nobles to replace whole households of slaves if they thought one might be an agent of a rival. Sending them to the lyrium mines was as much a death sentence as being made a sacrifice to their god of choice. Many priests still felt a quick death wasn’t what their gods wanted. 

“ _Then I am glad they made it in time. We will have to send some on to make room for the new ones but it can be done._ ” Era’las paused to scrape the last bit of food from her bowl. “ _Where may I find their guide? I would like to thank him for his timely rescue._ ”

Maelle shook her head. “ _Off again, I’m afraid. Left as soon as they were settled. Said he had a promise to keep._ ”

A shriek from the common room made them both run back in. One of the children, a little girl was spinning in place with a wide grin on her face. Clutched to her chest tightly, she held what looked like a handmade, threadbare doll.

“ _Mas serranas, ha’hren!!_ ” The girl giggled and pressed a kiss to the cheek of the man crouched by her side. “ _Thank you for saving her!_ ”

He laughed and patted her on the head. “ _For you, da’len, I would gladly walk through fire once more. Now you are both safe._ ”

Maelle nudged Era’las with her elbow. “ _That’s him,_ ” she laughed. “ _Good luck._ ” 

With so many mouths to feed, Maelle would be busy long into the night so she turned back to the kitchen. Era’las collected a few of the others to go and help. It took all their efforts to keep things in order and she was proud of their handiwork. All the while, she kept an eye on the new arrival. He stayed crouched on the floor, sharing a word or two with the people nearest him. From the look of his battered, dark armour and the ease with which he sat she could tell he had been doing this work for some time. Every now and then she would catch him staring at her. He would grin as if he was glad to be caught before looking away and starting a conversation with someone else. 

Once everything was in motion, she was able to turn her full attention to him. Crossing the distance, she smiled and inclined her head in greeting.

“ _Andaran atishan, lethal’lin. You have done a great thing for these people and I can not thank you enough for the chance to help them._ ”

“ _I was lucky enough to find them when I did,_ ” he answered amiably. “ _You’ve done the hard part._ ”

He rose stiffly from the floor, one arm pressed tight to his ribs. She couldn’t see the hand he held tucked behind his other elbow. The discomfort in his face was gone in a flash, replaced with a tired smile.

“ _I should head back out soon. They will come looking for me and I don’t want to bring trouble to your door._ ” He winked. “ _Though I’m sure you could stun them to silence with a smile._ ”

Era’las blushed, unable to keep her eyes on his face. He was handsome enough to leave her flustered and teasing her with such words when she was too worn to play back left her at a disadvantage.

“ _Let me help you before you leave at least._ ” She spoke softly, still fighting against a grin of her own. “ _You hurt yourself for them and I would be happy to heal you as thanks for the effort._ ”

He nodded in agreement and she lead him to a quiet corner in one of the side rooms. She waited as he sat and began to loosen the buckles and straps securing his armour in place. Frowning, she saw he moved slowly and only used his left hand. His injuries were worse than he let on. She moved to help, a gentle smile of encouragement on her lips.

“ _Do you always help people out of their clothes,_ ” he quipped, “ _or am I just the luckiest man alive?_ ”

Era’las couldn’t help but laugh as she rolled her eyes. “ _Do you flirt with everyone you see or have you injured your head and mistaken me for someone else?_ ”

He caught one of her hands and held it still, waiting for her to look directly at his face. Something in his eyes made her blush brighter. His smile softened.

“ _A beautiful face and a kind heart deserve to be cherished above all things as often as possible,_ ” he said softly, all mirth from before gone. “ _I will thank all the stars as long as I live for finding my way to your door._ ”

She had no answer for that, only a slack-jawed stare that slipped into a crooked grin. Before Era’las could regain her composure, he released her hand and shrugged the cuirass the rest of the way loose. It fell to the floor with a soft thud, bringing her mind back from dreamy thoughts. His dark tunic underneath was wet in places. She could smell the blood on his skin and now see the bruising around the wrist of the hand he refused to use. Frowning deeply, she knelt by his feet and took his injured hand in both of hers.

“ _What happened?_ ”

“ _I miscalculated and they caught me unawares._ ” He shrugged. “ _It was an ambush, of course. Drained of my magic, I wasn’t as fast as I should have been. It is no matter. I will heal it myself once I’ve rested._ ”

“ _And you still went back for the doll, knowing they were likely to return and hurt you worse? _"__

He nodded, having the foresight to at least look a little sheepish at the admission. 

" _That was foolish, lethal’lin. This effort lives and dies on the strength of people like you. The ones that restore hope are invaluable. You are lucky to have survived the first time, never mind the second._ ” Era’las knew she was lecturing but she didn't care. She shook her head at him, her hands already glimmering with healing energy. “ _Much as I would love to make you learn from this lesson, I said I would heal you and I will. Now sit still and let me do my work._ ” 

Humbled slightly by the steel in her voice, he offered no further argument. The small meal had been enough to replenish most of her energy. The soft light of her hands circled around his wrist, setting the bones gently back in place. The bruises faded but didn’t disappear. Time would heal the rest. Rising to her feet she traced her magic up his arm and across his chest. More broken bones, luckily just shy of puncturing his lungs. Luck was certainly on his side for that. He stiffened as they set and took a careful, deep breath when she was finished. Minor cuts and bruises melted away as she redirected the healing to the rest of his body. 

When she finished, she stepped back and let out a soft breath. He rose gently to his feet, testing out his arms and legs for tenderness. She studied each motion, watching for any signs of discomfort or stiffness. Finding himself hale, he smiled and bowed to his healer. 

“ _Better than I could have done myself, sweet lady. I am in your debt._ ” 

Era’las blushed again, letting a smile return to her lips. “ _Nonsense. I am lucky to be in a place to help people like you so you may continue the fight._ ” 

He reached out to her, palm up and eyes pleading. She giggled faintly and indulged him, resting a hand atop his. He lifted it to his lips reverently, laying a soft kiss on the back of her hand. 

“ _My lady,_ ” he whispered against her skin, sending a flush of warmth up her arm, “ _I am the lucky one. This Arrow flies true and better for your comfort._ ” 

Her brow wrinkled, curiosity piqued. " _Arrow?_ " 

He grinned and looked up to catch her eye, still holding her hand. " _Felassan, sweet lady. A name I hope you might never forget._ " 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> Mas serranas, ha’hren - Thank you, elder / respected one  
> Da’len - child  
> Andaran atishan, lethal’lin. - Welcome to this place of peace, my kin / peer.


End file.
